How to find and delete hidden files on Xiaomi: safe ways to clean up

Hidden files on Xiaomi smartphones are like dust under the bed: they take up space, but they are not visible in a standard file manager. Over time, such files can accumulate, taking up gigabytes of memory and slowing down the device, especially for models with limited built-in storage, such as the Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5, where every megabyte counts.

But why do these files appear at all? Most often, they're application cache, temporary system process data, backups of updates, or remnants of deleted programs. Some are created automatically when you install apps from APK, others are created when you sync them with Mi Account, and the main problem is that you can't delete them by simply clicking "Clear Cache" in your settings.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways to find and delete hidden files on Xiaomi, including system folders that don’t usually show up, which files can be deleted without risk and which ones should not be touched, even if they take up a lot of space, and we’ll look at specialized applications and ADB commands that will help clean up memory as efficiently as possible.

What are hidden files and why do they take up memory?

Hidden files (or hidden folders) are data that is not displayed in the default MIUI Explorer, and can fall into three categories:

• 📁 System files are necessary for Android and MIUI (for example, folders /data or /system). Hand-removing them is dangerous.
• 🗑️ Cache and temporary files – remain after applications work (e.g..thumbnails for thumbnails or.nomedia for media files.
• 🔄 Backups and logs – created when updates or crashes (e.g. folders) /MIUI/backup or /log). Often useless after use.

The main reason for this is that you don't clean up when you delete applications, for example, when you uninstall a game, save it or cache it may remain in the /Android/data folder. Another source is MIUI Optimizer, which creates temporary files to speed up the system, but doesn't always delete them.

⚠️ Note: Some hidden files (for example, in a folder) /data/app) These are related to the operation of installed applications, and their removal may lead to failures or the need to reinstall programs.

How do you know when it's time to clean up hidden files?

• 📉 The device’s memory is full, but you haven’t installed new apps.
• 🐢 Smartphone began to slow down when opening a gallery or file manager.
• 🔄 After updating MIUI There was little space left, although it was enough.

How to enable the display of hidden files in MIUI

Before you delete anything, you need to find hidden files. In MIUI, this is done through the standard file manager Files (or File Manager in global firmware).

1. Open the Files app (the folder icon on the desktop).
2. Click on three dots in the upper right corner (⋮) and select Settings.
3. Scroll down and activate the option to Show hidden files.
4. Return to the root directory (/) and update the list (swipe down).

You will now see folders and files whose names start with a dot (e.g.,.config or.config.android_secure). System directories will also be visible. /data or /system, But access to them may be limited.

If you have a POCO Launcher or custom firmware, the path may be slightly different. For example, in some versions of MIUI for Redmi, the option is hidden in Settings → Additional → Developer Mode.

1. Go to Settings → About the phone.


2. 7 times click on "Version MIUI" to activate the developer mode.




3. Go back to Settings → Additional → For developers.




4. Find the option "Show hidden files" and turn it on.

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra) block access to system folders even after the hidden files are displayed. MIUI 14+.

Backup of important data

Check the free space in the settings → Memory

Close all working applications

Connect the charger (in case of long-term cleaning)-->

What hidden files can be deleted without risk

Not all hidden files are equally useful, but below is a list of folders and file types that can be deleted in most cases, as well as those that are not recommended to be touched.

Special attention should be paid to /Android/obb. This is where additional game data is stored (for example, graphics packages for Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile). If you haven't played in a long time, these files can be deleted, but before that:

• 🎮 Make sure the game doesn’t use them (run it and check the download).
• 📥 Save a copy on PC if you plan to return to the game later.

Critically, never delete files from /system, /vendor, or /boot folders. This can cause a device to crash (completely) and you’ll have to reflash it through Fastboot.

💡

If you're not sure if you can delete the folder, rename it (for example, add " old" at the end of the name). If the smartphone works normally after a day or two, feel free to delete it.

Manually cleans hidden files through file manager

If you decide to clean files manually, follow this algorithm to minimize the risks:

1. Back up important data (photos, contacts, messages) through Settings → System → Backup or Mi Cloud.
2. Open Files and go to the root directory (/).
3. Sort files by size (click three dots → Sort by → Size) so that the heaviest folders are displayed first.
4. Check the following directories (if any): 🗃️ /Android/data — cache and application data. 🖼️ /DCIM/.thumbnails — thumbnail. 📁 /MIUI/backup — backups. 📄 /Download/.unconfirmed — file-square.

Delete

Restart the device so that the changes take effect.

Example: a folder /Android/data/com.tencent.mm/MicroMsg (this is a WeChat cache) can store several gigabytes of unnecessary data, and if you don't use the messenger, it can be completely cleaned.

For convenience, use the file manager search:

1. Click on the magnifying glass icon in the upper right corner.
2. Enter extensions that often take up space:.apk – outdated installers..tmp – temporary files..log – logs of system processes.

Delete the files found if they are not related to the current applications.

Cleaning Hidden Files with ADB (without root)

If manual cleaning didn’t help or you want to delete files from secure folders (e.g. /data/local/tmp), you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which doesn’t require superuser rights, but offers more features than a standard file manager.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB.
• 📱 Smartphone with enabled debugging USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 taps → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Steps for cleaning:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC and confirm the debugging permission on the device screen.
2. Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type: adb devices Make sure your device appears in the list.
3. Use commands to search and delete: # View the list of large folders in /data adb shell du -sh /data/* | sort -rh | head -10 Delete the cache of all user applications (safe) adb shell pm clear --user 0 com.android.vending adb shell pm clear --user 0 com.miui.gallery Clear folder with temporary files adb shell rm -rf /data/local/tmp/*

To delete specific files, use the adb shell rm -rf /path/to/file command, for example, to clear the cache of Google Play Services:

adb shell rm -rf /data/data/com.google.android.gms/cache/*

⚠️ Attention: Rm teams -rf A path error (e.g. an extra space) can result in the deletion of important data. Always check the path with the adb shell ls /path/to/folder command before deleting it.

If you need to delete files from the /sdcard folder, use:

adb shell rm -rf /sdcard/Download/.unconfirmed/*


adb shell rm -rf /sdcard/DCIM/.thumbnails/*

💡

ADB allows you to clean files that are not available through a standard file manager, but requires caution.Always check paths and back up before mass deletion.

Applications for Automatic Cleaning of Hidden Files

If you're a hard person to work with ADB, you can use third-party applications that automate the process, but some require root rights to work properly.

• 🧹 Files by Google — has a "Clean Up" feature that finds unnecessary files, including hidden ones. Free, no root.
• 🔍 SD Maid is a deep cache and temporary file cleaner. There's a paid version with advanced features.
• 🛠️ Root Explorer for root users. Allows you to edit system folders.
• 📦 CCleaner – cleans cache and garbage, but on MIUI You may not see all the hidden files.

Example of working with SD Maid:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Run the scan (CorpseFinder looks for remnants of remote applications).
3. In the AppCleaner section, select apps and click Clean.
4. For deep cleaning, go to SystemCleaner (requires root).

What to look for when choosing an application:

• 🔒 Check permissions: if the application requests access to the SMS or contact for "cleanup", it is suspicious.
• 📊 See the reviews. 4PDA or XDA Developers – there is a lot of discussion about the effectiveness of Xiaomi.
• 💰 Avoid programs that ask for payment for basic features (such as cache cleaning).

For POCO models (like the POCO F5), it’s useful to use the POCO Launcher with a built-in cleaner.It’s optimized for MIUI-based firmware and better finds Xiaomi-specific hidden files.

What to do if after cleaning the smartphone works worse

In rare cases, when hidden files are deleted, problems can arise: applications stop opening, errors appear, or the system constantly restarts.

If the smartphone doesn’t turn on after cleaning, try the following steps:

1. Press the Power button + Volume up for 10 seconds to enter Recovery Mode.
2. Select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache (cleaning the cache will not delete your data).
3. If this doesn’t work, do Wipe Data (full reset).

To recover deleted files by mistake (if the smartphone is still working) use:

• 🔄 DiskDigger – Looks for deleted files in internal memory.
• 📂 Recuva (on PC) – if you connect your smartphone as a drive.

⚠️ Warning: After resetting to factory settings, all data will be erased, including photos and messages. If you don't have a backup, try connecting your smartphone to your PC in Fastboot mode and copy important files through your computer. ADB pull.

FAQ: Frequent questions about hidden files on Xiaomi